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Our latestWomen’s Running magazine Blogger On The Run believes in setting goals, balancing all of life’sdemands and the occasional side of salty french fries.Meet Mary from Food & Fun On The Run! She’s currently training for the Chicago Marathon in October and loves sharing training tips with her followers. Read on to find out how one street in Boston sparked chills down this fierce runner girl’s spine:

Check out all of the race bling Mary earned during one weekend! FIERCE!

WR: How would you describe yourself?

M: I am a 25 year old running enthusiast training, working, and living in Florida. I am passionate about living a balanced, healthy life, and I believe that staying active is the way to do that. I love spending time with my husband, keeping up with my pup Winnie, and hanging out with my amazing friends! Food & Fun On The Run highlights my running journey, while having (some) time to relax in between!

WR: How did you begin running?

M: I began running to keep in shape for other sports when I was in high school. I ended up liking it so much, that I just kept with it, and left the other sports behind. I loved how I felt after a good run, and the progress I saw as I increased my mileage. I became totally addicted it it 😉

Mary's husband is her #1 fan!

WR: What keeps you running and training?

M: I love setting goals and being able to check them off! When I am not in training mode, I tend to feel lost. Having a plan, knowing what I am doing for exercise each day, and crossing it off after I complete it is very rewarding for me.

WR:What type of run is your favorite?

M: My favorite type of run is a long run in a new city! Long runs can get a bit repetitive when I do them on my normal route, but when I am in a new place, its more of an adventure than a long run! Seeing new sites, and not even knowing what your mileage is at the time is extremely fun and liberating!

This is the smile of a Boston Marathon Finisher!

WR: What’s your favorite race memory?

M: My favorite race memory is turning the corner onto Boylston Street in the Boston Marathon. There was only about a quarter mile left in the race, and I have never felt so energized. The crowd was so loud that I got chills up my spine. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before, and I will never forget it.

WR: Are you currently training for a race? If so, which one?

M: I am currently training for the Chicago Marathon on October 7th! My goal is to run all 5 World Marathon Majors, and this race will be the 3rd one I get to check off my list (I’ve completed Boston and New York thus far).

WR: Best running advice you’ve received or given?

M: I think that the best thing to remember about running is to not compare yourself to others. When I ran in college, I was always one of the slower people on the team. Instead of comparing myself with all of my super speedy teammates, I decided I would just compare myself to myself – look at previous times, and see if I could beat those. You should run for yourself, and no one else.

Mary wants to run all five of the World Marathon Major Races. What running goal do you have?

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

We love our Women’s Running magazine Blogger On The Run so much that we want to inspire you to check her out! Simply leave a comment below telling us what you think about Mary’s story and you’ll be entered to win a one-year subscription to Women’s Running magazine.